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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27170809">Things That Go Bump in the Night</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bryar6/pseuds/bryar6'>bryar6</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Halloween Adventures [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Douxie's fears, F/M, Gen, Halloween, Minor description of a dying goblin, Movie Night, My favorite magic trio, Pre-Canon, Sort Of, fluff at the end, monster hunting, no beta as usual oh well, pre-toa, small battle, some mild injury, zouxie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 01:29:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,886</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27170809</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bryar6/pseuds/bryar6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Douxie isn't exactly a fan of horror movies or media in general, but his companions insist on it. Douxie makes it through the movie, only for strange sounds to come from the dark and dreary night. Zoe and Archie insist on chasing it down. Takes place in 2001.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hisirdoux "Douxie" Casperan/Zoe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Halloween Adventures [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1979104</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Things That Go Bump in the Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm a fan of the mind-games that movies like Final Destination play, but after having seen the second one, I can't drive behind log trucks for long...ugh. Unlike Douxie, I can handle my horror movies (but not even a haunted house) and felt this is very on-character for him considering his reaction to Charlemange. Anyways! I had a lot of fun playing with a fight scene and Douxie's fears and incorporating a new creature. Hope you enjoy! I included bonus fluff at the end because I just couldn't help myself.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zoe has a small array of movies spread out on the floor of her apartment, pondering them with serious interest. The plastic VHS cases crinkle as she picks them up and opens them. Archie is pressed against her side, rubbing his head on her arm. </p><p>“So are we thinking we go classic, stereotypical, more humorous, or more mess-with-your-mind?” Zoe leans back onto her heels, tapping a finger against her chin. Her other hand is busy stroking the cat’s silky coat. </p><p>Douxie rolls his shoulders uncomfortably. “Maybe we go for something a little on the, I don’t know, plain and tame end of things? To change it up?” </p><p>“Didn’t we do that last year? We watched those fake paranormal files things that are clearly set up.” Zoe shakes her head. “Nah, I want something good.” </p><p>Douxie shudders a little. “You know, Zoe, a lot of these things are based off real encounters people think they’ve had- or they’ve actually had! -and I just can’t dismiss it like some regular person would.” </p><p>“You’ve literally fought demons and you’re afraid of some made up story,” Archie says, turning to face him. “I think facing your fears is the best way to handle this.” </p><p>“I can’t say I agree with you there.” Douxie turns around and throws a package of popcorn into the microwave. His mind fills with scenes from old films. </p><p>Zoe comes into the kitchen and grabs some little treats on the counter. Rain falls steadily outside, setting an eerily perfect Halloween mood. It makes Douxie ever more uneasy. </p><p>“So? You have any preferences?” she asks through a mouthful of marshmallow. </p><p>“Not really…you know how I am about these things.” He shivers and removes a bag of finished popcorn, putting another in. He would prefer no scary movies at all. </p><p>“It’s like Archie said. And you’ve got both of us here. When’s the last time you pulled an all-nighter?” </p><p>Douxie throws her a worried look. “You probably don’t want the answer to that question.” </p><p>“Well, okay. It can’t hurt that much. Sleep deprivation can’t take the years off of our lives anyways. I was thinking we start with Final Destination. It came out last year and I bought it a while back when things were on sale at Blockbuster. Didn’t get the chance to watch it yet. It’s supposed to be more of a mind one, not really in the paranormal scene,” she explains, opening the popcorn and pouring it into a bowl. </p><p>“I suppose it can’t be too bad. It had better not be,” he says, sending a distrustful look from the corner of his eyes. She moves to the TV and slips the VHS into the player, skipping through the many previews. </p><p>“You’ll be fine. I personally like the concept,” she says with a shrug. Douxie makes a disgruntled sound in his throat and carries the popcorn to the couch. He throws himself down heavily and makes space for Zoe beside him. She picks up the remote and leans into him, pulling up a blanket over their legs. Archie squeezes into the small space between them, making himself comfortable and starting up a light purr. If anything, Douxie will feel cozy with his closest friends while he’s terrified out of his skin. </p><p>It starts simple enough, but the thought of premonitions sort of like how Merlin has them raises the hairs on his arms. He’d never been gifted with that power. Master wizards often developed little additional skills unique or mostly unique to themselves with the increase in power that a staff could afford them. Douxie can’t wait to find out what his is. He flinches as the movie goes from silent to loud, the scene cutting abruptly. Zoe must notice his tension because her eyes flick up to his face for a moment, clouded with faint concern. </p><p>As the movie goes on, he becomes more and more unnerved, trying to puzzle out the pattern as the characters do. Not to mention, he’s beginning to form an irrational idea that his household appliances might just turn against him one day, reminding him uncomfortably when his magic occasionally turns on him. Not that he thinks his toaster should have that much malicious intent, but it’s still a bit bothersome. He’s even begun to root for the jock character, as dislikable as he is. He holds his breath as the character struggles to pull himself from his car on train tracks, his buckle trapping him down. Douxie feels a surge of anxiety as the protagonist manages to get him out before the train hits. He had to admit that the suspense was well done. </p><p>Douxie grows relieved as the movie draws to a close, the three remaining characters enjoying France, finally. He’s surprised a horror movie could have a happy ending. But before the credits roll, the main character has yet another premonition. He manages to divert that one-- only for the jock character to have a massive neon sign dropped on his head. The movie cuts off at that and the hair-on-end feeling returns, a fearful and anxious tension growing. </p><p>“Wait! What! They can’t do that!” Douxie protests, throwing his arms out. “No way, he solved the problem, it’s got to be over now. C’mon.” </p><p>“I heard from someone that they’re making another one, maybe even more. You’ll have to wait and find out. Not so bad, right?” Zoe asks, getting up to remove the tape. </p><p>“I don’t know. I think I’ll forever be worried that my shower curtain is out to strangle me,” he mumbles, eyes darting around the room. He knows just how easily things could be enchanted. Hell, it would take nothing for someone to enchant most of his possessions to kill him, and it could be done to look just like a total accident. He shudders. “Ugh. It’s making me think about all the stupid ways I could die.” </p><p>Zoe gives him an apologetic smile. “I think as a wizard, you’ll probably have a grander ending than these, so I wouldn’t worry. Anyways, what’s up next?” She begins to pull more movies out and Douxie groans, sinking further into the couch. </p><p>“One is enough-“ he starts, but he’s interrupted by a loud thump against a window. He yelps and Zoe scuttles back on the carpet. “What in the seven rings was that.” </p><p>“I...don’t know…” Zoe answers, moving back to the couch. </p><p>Archie stares hard out at the pitch black, but there’s nothing to be seen. “Maybe an errant bird?” he offers. </p><p>“The birds don’t fly at night, Arch,” Douxie whispers. Everything in him feels tense. He’s ready to fight or run at a moment's notice. Zoe looks mildly concerned, but her body shows none of the fear Douxie’s does. <em>That wasn’t even a paranormal film, this is a whole different kind of freaked out,</em> he argues with himself. </p><p>Another hard thump comes at a different window and Douxie jumps again. His heart is practically beating out of his chest now. </p><p>Zoe’s eyes narrow. “I’m gonna guess goblins. Those little bastards are smart enough to know what time of year they’ll get the most fun out of terrorizing people and still get away with it.” </p><p>“Yeah. Goblins,” Douxie says, forcing himself to breathe. “That makes sense.” </p><p>Archie’s tail flicks back and forth and he pads over to the window, staring outside. “Whatever it is, I get the idea it’s not goblins. Goblins wouldn’t throw themselves against a second story window. Besides, they’d splatter, wouldn’t they?” </p><p>“I say we go check it out,” Zoe suggests. She stands and grabs her wand and jacket. </p><p>“What? Absolutely not!” Douxie protests, pulling the blanket around him tighter. </p><p>“Doux, it’s probably just some little creature. And think about the poor children it could be terrorizing.” Zoe meets his eyes with a challenge. </p><p>“It’s terrorizing me, too! I am <em>not</em> going out there, so help me, Powers that Be! And that is that!” </p><p>***************</p><p>Five minutes later, and with a lot of coaxing from Zoe and Archie, the three of them are on the street with small light spells cast out before them. It doesn’t do much, as in the heavy fog they can only see a few feet ahead of them. </p><p>“Oh, cheer up old pal, usually a little monster hunting lifts your spirits,” Archie says with a grin. Douxie scowls at him. </p><p>“Maybe on any night but tonight,” he mutters. They’d forgone the party this year in favor of staying home to watch some movies, mostly because of the inclement weather. Costumes, however, had been done. Douxie is still recovering from that. Speaking of the weather, Douxie can’t even tell if he’s shivering from adrenaline and fear or the cold. “I mean, we all know that every creature in the night comes out on Halloween just to screw around.” </p><p>“Makes it a better game for us,” Zoe replies, taking the lead as they round a corner. A gnome scuttles past them and dives into an alley. “Live a little.”</p><p>He rolls his eyes, thinking much of how Merlin had told him to master living first. “This one’s for you, Master,” he mutters dryly. </p><p>Archie transforms in a puff of yellowy magic, trotting to keep up with Zoe’s fast walk. They’re headed towards the local museum, where a fair amount of goblins liked to reside in the rafters. Douxie’s never liked the place. Sure enough, when it’s in sight, the front door is pushed ajar. </p><p>“Ah, well, nobody here, time to go home, right?” he says, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. Zoe waves for them to follow her up the stairs, gently opening the door. “Of course. Of course we’re going into the creepy museum on Halloween, nearish to midnight.” </p><p>“Be quiet,” Zoe hisses, stepping inside. She points to a disabled alarm system on the wall and frowns. Douxie studies the smashed plastic for a moment before turning and following her. The goblins rarely did damage to their own homes, meaning this wasn’t them. Douxie’s stomach sinks.</p><p>Archie’s tail flicks back and forth as they walk down the long halls. Douxie keeps his eyes fixed on it, struggling to restrain his mind from envisioning a monster in every corner. </p><p>A clear, distant sound echoes down the hallway and the trio stop suddenly. The gravelly voice of a goblin comes louder again and a small green body pulls itself across the floor at the far end of the hallway. Douxie feels like every muscle in his body has tensed up. </p><p>“It’s injured,” Zoe whispers. Douxie takes a half-step closer to her. “Maybe dying.”</p><p>“There’s something else in here. I really think we should leave.” Douxie’s shoulder is very nearly brushing hers now, with Archie standing at their feet. </p><p>Zoe shakes her head. “Can’t. Sworn duty and all, right?” </p><p>Douxie raises his eyes to the grand ceiling, silently cursing his apprenticeship. He prays that the old gods are looking favorably on him tonight, for good measure. He follows after Zoe, a hand on his bracer. </p><p>They stop just shy of the goblin, who has now uttered some last remarks and breathed out one final time. Streaks of green blood trail into the next room. Douxie gulps and follows his companions. </p><p>Inside, the room is nearly empty except for a single, large display case in the center, a sheet draped over it. It gives Douxie chills to imagine what horrors could be underneath it. Pale moonlight streams in through a break in the clouds, illuminating the room. </p><p>“I have a really bad feeling about this,” Douxie says under his breath. Something is ringing serious alarm bells in his head. He’s begun to feel a lot like the main character in the movie, getting  a premonition-like hunch that things were about to take a turn for the worse. </p><p>A low growl comes from nowhere in the room. Douxie’s gauntlet activates in a glow of blue magic. Archie hisses and throws his wings up, each of them taking a side of the room to face. A flash of Zoe’s pink magic brightens the seemingly empty room. At that moment, the nearby church bell begins to ring for midnight, some stupid prank teenagers must be pulling, Douxie thinks. It shouldn’t be going off in the middle of the night. On the twelfth ring, the display case explodes, sending glass flying in all directions. A large, maned creature shakes the sheet off, the floor shaking with its weight. It lets loose a piercing shriek and rears on its hind legs. </p><p>Douxie casts a secondary light spell in the room and rolls away from the strike of a giant paw. “Archie! What is that?”</p><p>“It’s a chimera! We’ve met a couple, you really should know this by now!” Archie shouts back, dashing away. “I have no idea how it got here!”</p><p>“Douxie, on your left!” Zoe yells, pointing behind him. He jumps to his right, the snake head snapping where he had just been. He turns and faces the creature, seeing it more in earnest now. It’s ten feet tall, with a pair of large lion paws complimenting it’s back goat hooves. From the lion’s mouth dribbles thick smoke, and the goat’s head rears with fury. The snake tail-head is occupied with chasing Zoe. </p><p>“Zoe, I’ll cover you!” Douxie calls, running forward and sending blasts of disorienting magic at its multiple heads. She moves behind a tall shelf and begins chanting a spell. “Archie, try to go for his tail, er, snake head.” </p><p>“Her, actually. Chimeras are female,” his familiar says, swooping low over his head. He dives under the creature’s belly and tumbles away. “I think they’ve assigned her to guard something.” </p><p>“That’s real useful Archie,” Zoe says, flinging a spell and throwing a shield up. “What are her weaknesses?”</p><p>“Well, the goat head, for one, is particularly useless in fights like these…” Archie blasts it again from above but the chimera seems impervious to his fire. “And it can’t fly.” </p><p>“Wasn’t she defeated in myth by some demigod and Pegasus?” Zoe sends a lightning bolt to the chimera’s chest and it growls, wheeling to face her. Zoe runs and slides between the chimera’s legs. She’s kicked by one of the hooves but she’s back up on her feet almost immediately. </p><p>“Right you are! Why, Douxie, you could learn a few things from Zoe here.” Archie dives down and perches on Douxie’s shoulder to take cover behind his shield as the goat horns slam down. </p><p>“Now is not the time, Arch,” Douxie grunts, raising his hands and breathing a spell as he turns. A long tendril of magic lashes out at the beast, a blue whip licking her hide. The chimera diverts its attention from Zoe and barrels towards Douxie with a roar. “Oh, fuzzbuckets.” </p><p>Douxie turns and runs, diving past the broken display case and through the narrow doorway, glass crunching under his feet. The chimera lodges itself in the doorway for a couple moments before it breaks free, chasing him down the corridor. </p><p>“Slow down, damn you,” Zoe growls as she plants her feet and weight, casting out a long rope of pink magic that ties firmly around the snake head. “Archie, get the goat head! Are you sure there’s no other weaknesses?” </p><p>“It can’t fly. Though I don’t suppose flying will be an advantage in this enclosed space.” Archie twists through the air, dragonfire glancing harmlessly off its hide. </p><p>“Wait! It’s immune to fire! What if it’s just like all those other fire-breathing creatures? Ice!” Douxie shouts, changing his spell as quickly as he can while maintaining a light shield. </p><p>“Let’s hope you’re right, because I can’t hold it much longer!” Zoe grimaces in effort and pain as she holds it back, the multi-thousand-pound creature lunging against her magic. Douxie realizes that her magic is likely being drained fast from this amount of exertion. </p><p>“Frigidus et ligaveris!” he chants, spinning the spell opposite of a fire one and casting outwards from his body. The blue magic engulfs the chimera’s head in a block of ice. He makes quick work of the next head, while Archie winds a long piece of rope between the beast’s legs and drops it to the floor. The snake tail writhes in Zoe’s hold, her energy draining fast. Douxie repeats the chant, the last of the three heads sinking to the floor encased in ice. Zoe drops to her knees, magic rope disappearing. Douxie rushes to her side, catching her as she falls. </p><p>“I’m fine, Doux, but that thing won’t stay frozen long,” she coughs, clenching her side. He can see clearly that she’s anything but fine; her shirt is turning red quickly at her ribs. “Think we can banish it?” </p><p>Douxie studies it, massive furred chest heaving. It’s certainly larger than some creatures he had failed to banish in the past. “I’m not sure.” </p><p>“We kill it then,” Zoe says, forming a long dagger in her hand. Her face is set and she looks more than ready to do it. </p><p>“No,” he says firmly, pushing her hand away. “She doesn’t deserve that. She’s probably being controlled or manipulated by someone. Besides, she couldn’t have been whatever we heard back in town. She’s too big for that, and she was in the glass.”</p><p>Zoe frowns, but nods reluctantly. “Then what are you going to do with it?” </p><p>Douxie produces his own dagger and kneels to saw away at the rope around its legs. “I’ll set her free.” He pulls the rope away and begins to search for a spell on his gauntlet. When he finds the right one, he steps into a casting stance, mumbling the words under his breath, and casting it against the side of the hallway. A blueish portal appears, shimmering slightly as it shows the small garden patch right outside the museum. With his other hand, he blasts away the ice. Archie and Zoe flank the chimera on either side, leaving it just the portal to go through. It jumps to its feet, standing and panting, snake tail-head lashing from side to side. It sniffs the air with it’s lion snout, looking to the three of them in turn before finally landing on Douxie. </p><p>“You’re free to go, girl.” Douxie gestures to the portal, doing his best not to meet its eyes. He remembers clearly that most mythic beasts take eye contact as a challenge. This is a true test of it’s understanding and his own belief that it won’t kill him or his companions on a whim. </p><p>The chimera leans forward and sniffs his hair, before snorting and turning. Douxie laughs nervously, standing perfectly still otherwise. It leaps through the portal and gallops away into the night without a second glance backwards. He releases the portal with a sigh and surveys the damage. </p><p>“I say we get out of here before the cops show up,” Zoe suggests, also taking in the debris and burn marks. </p><p>“Good idea,” Douxie agrees, slipping an arm under her shoulder and helping her hobble out of a nearby emergency exit. “I hope she figures out a way to coexist with this weird modern world.” </p><p>“Magical creatures usually have a little common sense to them,” Archie reassures, flapping ahead of them. “I think you made the right choice with what we were given.”</p><p>Zoe makes a sound of agreement, pressing harder on her bleeding side. “That still doesn’t answer the question of what was actually out there, though.” </p><p>“Don’t remind me,” Douxie says, suppressing chills. “And when we get back, can we call it a night?”</p><p>Zoe rolls her eyes. “Just this once. But next year I am so exposing you to the good stuff.” </p><p>Douxie smiles, sighing. </p><p> </p><p>*******Bonus Fluff!**********</p><p> </p><p>Douxie dries his hair and dresses in Zoe’s bedroom while she showers. He’d gotten most of the grime off, but he’s still covered in small scrapes and scratches from the fight. He’ll be fine, ultimately, and he can only hope that the chimera isn’t out there right now trying to stalk innocent humans. He pulls some of his own clothing from her dresser, making sure to take the ones she was less fond of. He returns to the central room of her apartment and reheats some leftovers, feeling his stomach grumbling uncomfortably. Magic use was always draining and meant serious caloric intake. </p><p>He rubs his eyes and checks the time, seeing that it’s half past two in the morning. He frowns, feeling exhaustion catch up to him all of a sudden. Unluckily for him, it’s a work day tomorrow. </p><p>“What’re you staring at?” Zoe asks, walking down the hallway. He tears his gaze from the clock and looks at her. She’s wearing shorts and a loose crop top, a heavy amount of bandaging over her ribs but she seems indifferent to the injury already. </p><p>“Just zoning out. I heated up leftovers if you want them.”</p><p>“Thanks.” Zoe moves past him, also looking quite weary. “You can still stay the night, you know.” </p><p>“If you’re alright with it, that would be great. Not sure I’d make it back.” </p><p>“What, scared of the dark?” She smirks. </p><p>“No,” he says, too quickly. “Shush.” </p><p>“It’s okay. You know my fears, I know yours. It’s beneficial.” She taps his chest with a finger as she passes again, headed for her altar. This reminds him that while she may look fearless on the surface, there were a few things that still got to her. They were still human, afterall. </p><p>As she rearranges the small shelf, he looks to the windows, the rain falling harder again in streams down the panes. The sound is almost comforting now. He’s always liked the sound of the rain. He grabs some blankets and nestles into the couch, tucking pillows around him. It reminds him of the little nest-like things he and Archie used to create while they lived on the streets, and then while they were out in the world after Merlin fell asleep. Zoe lights some candles and stands beside the couch, raising an eyebrow. </p><p>“I’m going to pass out now,” he mumbles, slipping his bracer off and resting it on the side table. Archie curls up in an armchair nearby, tenting his wings over his head. He usually hated getting wet and damp, and even moreso hated people touching his fur before it dried out. </p><p>“Scoot over,” she says, nudging his legs. He obliges and tucks them up against his side, keeping his eyes closed. He listens as she turns the TV back on, flipping through some stations until she lands on what sounds a lot like “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” She turns the volume down slightly and curls up beside him. He blinks his eyes open and studies her for a moment. </p><p>She cups a steaming mug of tea in her hands, eyes trained on the TV. He notes a couple of scrapes on her arms and face, that she has left her piercings in, she’s traded her contacts for her glasses for the night, and the small, soft smile on her face. </p><p>Douxie relaxes. Maybe he won’t be able to get the ideas of that stupid movie out of his head or the fear that some new creature is roaming Arcadia’s streets, but he’s safe and comfortable here. He keeps reminding himself of his until he falls asleep, the rain soothing him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So I'm still at a bit of a loss for a Zoe Halloween POV for the next installment...if anyone has suggestions I'd be open to hearing them! I do have a few ideas I can play with, however. Hers should be coming in about four or five days.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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